Heart-Pounding Collab (5)
It's been 30 minutes since I started renovating the house. A voice echoes from somewhere.
"Hello? Is anyone there? Hello? No one's here? Hello? Is anyone there at all? Say something if you are."
Listening closely, it's Raming.
"I'm here!! My friend Raming!! I'm here!! I'm on the first floor right now!"
I shout with all my might.
"Huh? My friend Sena!!!"
"Yeah!!"
I rush straight outside. Raming looks totally reliable. Her military uniform is covered in bloodstains. And she's got a gun.
"G-gun... where'd you get the gun?"
"This? Raided a gun shop for it. What do you think?"
"S-super cool."
Whoa, seriously impressive. A gun already... On a separate note, I don't really like guns. I've used them, and yeah, they're factually great. But without a silencer, the noise is insane and zombies swarm in hordes. My specialty is shoving and thwack, shove and thwack... I prefer that rhythmic style. My flaw is I go berserk if I don't think. I always have to keep myself in check to avoid rampaging. That means constantly creating an environment where I can think.
"Wanna try it?"
"Uh... no, I'm good."
Guns are... seriously convenient and way superior in performance. You just aim at their heads and spray away. How easy is that? Super easy. That's the problem. Once you use one, there's no going back. It's fine when you're stuck with inconvenient stuff, but after something good, switching back feels like a downgrade. That reverse contrast bugs you. So I have to hold out as much as possible. The axe is plenty for now.
"Okay. So... what about the others?"
"Huh? No idea. Oh, I ran into Moteok, but she died."
"Why?"
Why did she die again? There was a reason... um...
"Oh! Bandits got her, I think? I didn't see the death scene. And this..."
I scatter Cooking Magazine 2 on the ground. Raming spots it and asks,
"What's this?"
"Moteok's keepsake. Guess she wanted to be a chef."
I say it casually, then head back inside to resume hammering.
"So the others just aren't coming?"
"Yeah. I hung around the house the whole time and didn't see them... so they're probably still out there."
"Then let's go rescue them."
Hmm... that's a bit much. How do I politely turn her down? This is way more fun right now. It's been ages since my brain felt this engaged. Priority one: tear down all the walls. Then build a separate storage shed, make this the main base focused on comfort. Good beds, brand-new kitchen setup, plant crops in the yard... I'm swamped. No time to hunt survivors.
"Go by yourself. I'll guard the house."
"Come with~ Let's go save them. They definitely can't make it here on their own. If we don't go, they'll never come."
"Well... guess I have no choice..."
Times like this call for cool-headedness. Cool your head. Or was it cool your heart? Whatever, cool it down. Even if we rescue them, we'd have to revive them at spawn point 2... or 3. By the time we get there, they're probably bitten, on the verge of turning or dying. Chance of meeting them in perfect condition? Zero, in my book. Then we'd need vaccines too... which piles on the work and delays house decorating. End up just chasing vaccines forever... while my dream of dollhouse base-building slips away.
"I've thought about it... even if we go rescue them, will they really be fine? We'd end up needing vaccines anyway... wouldn't it be better to save them for us?"
"No, heh heh heh... no, still. Too too... heh heh..."
Raming bursts out laughing at my words. The chat joins in, echoing her.
"Heh heh... we've spent time together, who else will go if we don't? If we don't, they'll never make it. It's been over 4 hours since we linked in and they still haven't shown."
"Hmm... you have a point."
She does, but my heart isn't racing for that. What's pounding is the house makeover.
"But sorry... I'm a bad girl. Can't go with you."
I resume hammering. No matter how I think about it, it doesn't appeal. And I dunno what's so funny, but Raming just keeps laughing.
"Got it. Got it. I'll go alone. Guard the house well."
"Yeah. Just trust me. Come back safe."
Raming's cold too. Good thing she's the cool ASMR girl from Delinquent Big Sis. In movies, this is where she'd nag me relentlessly and we'd both die together, but her going solo to die? I'm just grateful.
"But is this the only car here?"
"Yeah. That's it."
"Let's check it out."
Raming says that and goes quiet for a bit. Now I'm curious too. What kind of car is it? Wonder how mine stacks up. I nudge her.
"How is it? Car condition?"
"Not great. Gotta ditch this and find a new one."
"That bad? It's Moteok's keepsake too. She was driving it till she died, then I took it."
"A monument... but it's too beat up? I'll just park it over there."
"Ah, thanks!!"
"No problem. No problem. Sena. Sena!"
I'm hammering away when Raming urgently calls me. I stop and head outside.
"What? Why call? Zombies?"
"No, not that, but come see."
I follow her to the back door.
"We can farm here, right? Water in the back for fishing too?"
"What about rescuing survivors...?"
"Oh, shelved that. They'll figure it out. I'll farm and fish. I'll fix this up."
I'm stunned. Hearts are reeds, they say. I knew that, but... this is reed-level fickle. She declared rescue like 1 minute ago? Not even 2, and she's flipping? Too much! But separately, awesome. Backyard makeover? Music to my ears. I need ten bodies for all this, so lightening the load is huge.
"Whoa?! Uh! Thanks. Then handle it. I'll do the house."
"Yeah... they'll come on their own. Tough love's best. If they can't, tell 'em to stay forever. Can't escape without everyone. Let's see."
"Right. Right."
I nod and head back inside.
Another 30 minutes? A new voice.
"Phew... finally made it. Thought I was done for. Guys. Guys. This counts as legit, right? Hey? Feels like someone's at the house?"
Maru's voice. Right on time—fast if you call it fast, slow if slow. An elder's here... I drop everything to greet her.
"Maru, welcome."
"Hey. Sena. When'd you get here?"
"Me... about an hour ago? Pretty long now."
"Whoa, you got here super fast? Anyone else?"
"Raming's here. Moteok still no-show. Raming's probably fishing out back. Want me to call her?"
"Nah. So just waiting on Moteok?"
"Yeah..."
I approach Maru and check her out. One bandage on her hand, otherwise fine.
"Just one bandage..."
"Huh? Oh, not a bite."
"Everyone lies like that."
"What?!!! No, really."
If she were a friend or little sis, I'd unwrap it... but she's senior, can't push. Can't disrupt order out of curiosity. Korea's all about age hierarchy. Super age-sensitive society. Undermining elders? Unforgivable. Peeling Maru's bandage just 'cause I'm curious? Straight-up crime.
"Okay. I believe you."
"No, really. For real."
"Yeah... I believe you!"
"Real fact. No bite."
"Yes! Totally believe it!"
"Pure belief, right?"
"Yes! Absolutely!"
I really do believe her. I swear. But then she asks six more times.
"For real, right?"
"Yes! For real!"
"Okay then... so what should I do? Anything to work on?"
"Um..."
Stuff to do? Well... I'm on house, Raming's got farm and fishing. Need? Fuel? But that's far, need backup. Or what viewers said... oh! Car disassembly. Or books from bookstore... yeah. Later when all together. Solo? 100% death. Can't send her now... um...
"Rest... maintain gear! I'll tell you if something comes up later."
Really nothing. Racking my brain... nada.
"No, I'm ready for anything. Just say the word."
"Nothing. Fuel run means village deep—too risky solo... car disassembly good for levels but solo's scary... together? Too much to do... if Moteok were here, Raming and Maru... Ah! Right."
I dash to Raming.
"Raming! Raming! Job. Got a job."
Raming's reliable. She can handle three people's worth solo easy. I open the strategy notepad (memo) I jotted with viewers.
"Huh? What?"
"Can you hit the bookstore for books? Car maintenance, woodworking, generator... electrical engineering... that stuff?"
"Oh, sure thing. You coming?"
"With Maru. I'll guard house. Oh! Right. If time, one of you disassemble a car too. Cool?"
"Huh? Got it. Heading out~"
I wait at the front gate to see Raming and Maru off. Wish there was a waving emote. Bummer.
Chat, what's up? Did I do good? What'd I do good? Anyway, good job, right?